Carnitas Chipotle Copycat Slow Cooker Recipe
This Carnitas Chipotle copycat recipe makes luscious slow-cooked pork that is so tender and juicy, it melts right in your mouth. Enjoy your favorite Chipotle Mexican Grill carnitas burritos and bowls without ever leaving home!
These slow cooker pork carnitas are literally the best. If you like fall-apart tender meats, this pork recipe is the best.
This recipe shows you how to make easy copycat carnitas without a ton of extra work! It’s one of those Chipotle copycat recipes that proves why this is the only meat to make!
It’s a great recipe that you can make taste a lot of different ways. It’s an excellent choice for taco nights!
It’s my go-to recipe when I need a simple cooking process and an easy way to not have a ton of meal prep.
The tender meat makes dinner time the best, and it’s so good as leftovers the next day!
Use this delicious recipe to make the easiest carnitas, ever. The tender texture and the rest of the ingredients add so much extra flavor.
I just love new recipes that make yummy food like this!
The printable recipe card below gives all the simple steps to create the best carnitas for the whole family to enjoy.
Carnitas Chipotle
So many traditional Mexican cuisine recipes would have you standing over a stove for hours — but who has that kind of time?
My simple carnitas Chipotle recipe creates tender, perfectly seasoned meat with robust flavors.
The secret is a quick sear on the stovetop to lock in all of those succulent flavors and juices.
After that, carnitas Chipotle style are slow cooked for up to 12 hours until fork-tender and falling apart.
Can’t wait? I have an easy cheater recipe that’s ready in a fraction of the time. And if you’re short on spices, you can still make this dish with a jar of green salsa instead.
Tips for Making Chipotle Carnitas at Home
- Sear the pork shoulder first.
Doing so adds another layer of flavor that really puts these Chipotle carnitas over the top.
While you could skip this step, I highly recommend taking the extra 15 minutes and doing it. Trust me the flavor is worth it!
- Use the right cookware.
Nonstick pans are never a good idea for searing — they just aren’t able to get hot enough.
If you don’t have a Dutch oven, regular cast iron or stainless steel are the best alternative.
And make sure your crockpot is large enough for the meat! I use a 6-quart model for this carnitas Chipotle recipe.
- Place fresh rosemary on the bottom of the crockpot.
You’ll get more of the flavor into the pork this way! If using dried rosemary instead, you can simply sprinkle it over the meat.
- Save the juices!!
After removing copycat Chipotle Mexican Grill carnitas from the slow cooker, ladle the cooking liquid into a jar. You can use a strainer to remove any solids if desired.
Drizzle this liquid over leftovers before reheating — you’ll add moisture and flavor at the same time! Keep the jar in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Serving Suggestions
You can enjoy carnitas Chipotle style in so many ways! Incorporate it into meals or alongside your favorite Mexican side dishes like rice and street corn salad.
Personally, I love to pile crisp lettuce with this shredded pork, plus pinto beans, guacamole, cheese, and a huge spoon of fresh salsa as my dressing.
This Chipotle carnitas recipe is also great to make ahead of time. Use the meat in tacos and burritos, on nachos, and even on a sandwich.
Chipotle Carnitas Recipe FAQ
They are essentially the same — pork shoulder or pork butt that’s slow cooked until tender and falling apart.
Carnitas traditionally has one extra step, which is roasting or broiling the shredded meat until crispy before serving.
You’re free to do so with this crockpot Chipotle carnitas recipe if you’d like! Simply spread the shredded pork onto a foil-lined baking sheet and broil in the oven for a few minutes.
Either will work for this carnitas Chipotle recipe — just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Bone-in cuts of meat tend to need a bit more time. You’ll know it’s done when the pork falls off the bone and shreds with ease.
This typically happens once it reaches a minimum internal temperature of 195°F.
Each Chipotle bowl starts with a base of their cilantro lime rice or brown rice and either black or pinto beans. You can also add fajita veggies if desired.
Obviously, the protein is Chipotle carnitas. Then, choose from guac, queso blanco, salsa, sour cream, and cheese for your toppings!
If you’re asking me, I just toss leftovers together and make an epic burrito bowl. I love Mexican food and all the fun flavors that come with it. I’ll add large chunks of meat, green chilis, black beans, red onions, refried beans, and some spices like black pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, and even some hot sauce.
You can make a small bowl, or a large bowl – and enjoy every single bite. Once you make this crockpot pork carnitas recipe, you can enjoy the tender pork any way that you want!
Storing and Reheating Chipotle Mexican Grill Carnitas
Once cooled, leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can also freeze pulled pork for 2 to 3 months.
Reheat smaller portions of carnitas from Chipotle in the microwave or on the stovetop. Larger batches are best warmed in the oven
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Carnitas Chipotle Copycat Slow Cooker Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of visible fat (also labeled pork butt or Boston butt)
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 4 dried bay leaves
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary, or 3 large fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
Instructions
- DRY THE PORK: Pat the 5 pounds boneless pork shoulder dry on all sides with paper towels. The surface should feel dry to the touch, with paper towels coming away damp. Patting it dry is what gives you a deep golden sear, because a dry surface browns while a wet one steams.
- SEASON THE PORK: Set the pork on a plate. Sprinkle 2 of the 3 teaspoons kosher salt over all sides. The pork is ready when you can see an even speckle of salt across the whole surface.
- HEAT THE OIL: Set a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pour in 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil and give it 1 to 2 minutes. Watch the surface of the oil. When it shimmers, with little waves moving across it like heat rising off a road, it is hot and ready. Light olive oil handles this high heat better than extra virgin, so keep it as written. Short on time? The pork still turns out tender if you skip the sear and go straight to the slow cooker. Searing adds a deeper layer of savory flavor, and it only costs about 15 minutes.
- SEAR THE FIRST SIDE: Carefully lower the seasoned pork into the hot oil right after seasoning, so the seasoning stays put on the meat. You will hear a loud, steady sizzle the moment it touches the pan. Let it sit completely still for at least 2 minutes.
- CHECK THE SEAR: Slide a pair of tongs under the edge of the pork and gently lift. A properly seared side releases from the pan on its own and looks deep golden brown. A side that sticks is telling you it needs more time, so let it keep sizzling and check again in a minute. Each side takes 2 to 5 minutes. Lower the heat a notch if the sizzle turns sharp or the aroma shifts from toasty to scorched.
- SEAR THE REMAINING SIDES: Turn the pork with tongs and repeat on every side until the whole roast is crusted deep golden brown and the kitchen fills with a rich, savory aroma. Plan on 10 to 15 minutes total. Turn off the heat under the Dutch oven when the last side is done.
- LAYER THE SLOW COOKER: Scatter 4 dried bay leaves leaves across the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Set the seared pork on top of the bay leaves. You will see the leaves peeking out around the golden roast.
- POUR OVER THE PAN DRIPPINGS: Carefully pour any cooking liquid left in the Dutch oven over the pork. Those drippings carry the toasty, savory flavor from the sear, and you can see them glaze the meat as they run down.
- DEGLAZE THE PAN: Pour 1/2 cup water into the Dutch oven and return it to medium-high heat. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to lift the stuck-on browned bits. This is called deglazing, and it pulls all that golden flavor off the pan and into the liquid. You will see the water turn brown and rich as the bits dissolve, and it takes 1 to 2 minutes to reach a boil.
- ADD THE DEGLAZING LIQUID: Pour the boiling brown liquid from the Dutch oven over the pork in the slow cooker. You will hear a soft sizzle and catch a wave of savory aroma as it hits the meat.
- SEASON IN THE SLOW COOKER: Sprinkle 1 tablespoon dried rosemary, 1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme, the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt over the pork and into the slow cooker. If you are using 3 large fresh rosemary sprigs instead of dried, tuck them on the bottom of the slow cooker under the pork. Flip the pork over once so both sides pick up the herbs. The piney aroma of rosemary will rise as it lands.
- SLOW COOK: Cover and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours, or on low for 10 to 12 hours. The pork is done when a fork twists into it with almost zero effort and the meat pulls apart in soft strands, at about 195 degrees F inside. Your whole kitchen will fill with a deep, herby aroma along the way.
- SHRED THE PORK: Hold two forks back to back and pull the meat apart right in the slow cooker. It should fall into juicy shreds with barely any pulling. Fish out the bay leaves (and rosemary sprigs, if you used fresh) and throw them away. They were in the pot for flavor only.
- TASTE AND SEASON: Taste a shred. If it tastes flat, add kosher salt a small pinch at a time, tasting after each pinch, until the flavor pops.
- SOAK UP THE JUICES: Stir the shredded pork so every strand glistens with the cooking liquid. Cover and cook 30 to 60 more minutes. You will see the meat drink up the juices and turn extra moist and glossy. Serve it up and enjoy!
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published August 2016, updated and republished September 2024
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We’re Donna and Chad, the dream team behind The Slow Roasted Italian. Our focus is on taking complicated OUT of the kitchen. Life is busy enough, making meals should be fast and easy, to help make your life as simple as possible. Read More >>
Question: Are you using bone in or boneless pork butt?
Hi Colleen, I prefer to use boneless pork because that is what I find most easily. But bone in would work as well too. Watch the pork with bone-in as it may cook faster. Enjoy and let us know how it goes.
I think bone-in would actually mean it takes longer to cook. That being said, I loved Chipotle when I was able to try it in the states, we don't have it in the UK. I can't wait to try this!
In my experience the bone-in shoulders/butts cook faster as the bone conducts heat. Either way, enjoy it and let me know how it goes!
Do left overs freeze and reheat well?
Yes. This recipe freezes and reheats very well. I scoop my left overs in plastic wrap or foil and place in a freezer bag. Then I remove and reheat. If you do not have a chance to defrost, add a tablespoon of water to your bowl that you are reheating in and cover your bowl before placing it in the microwave. It will help keep it moist. Enjoy and let me know how it goes.
TY for the tip on reheating the frozen left overs. 🙂
Do leftovers freeze and reheat well?
This was delicious. Added some Pico De Gallo and some avocado crema for my tacos. Thank you for the recipe.
I love your recipes, please add Yummly as an option to save them. Thank you so much.
These are great! Just like the restaurant! So easy in the slow cooker too!
I created a bowl with your Chipotle rice/lime as the base and added layers going upward. Beans, salsa, chopped lettuce and cheese. You can use sour cream too. Sprinkled cilantro on top. Easy and so satisfying with all the diff textures and flavors and never feel stuffed.
This recipe from The Slow Roasted Italian website is a real winner. The Carnitas Chipotle copycat turned out to be absolutely delicious and easy to make!
Hi Anna!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
donna’s recipe for Slow Cooker Carnitas is a real winner! I followed the recipe exactly, and it turned out amazing. So close to the restaurant version!
Hi Morgan!
We’re so glad you enjoyed!!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
Donna and Chad’s recipes never disappoint, and this Slow Cooker Carnitas recipe is no exception. It’s a 5-star dish all the way!
Hi Gabriel!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn